REACH HIGHER

Do you begin the new year by reaching for new goals in your life? Called resolutions, as you resolve to do things differently. Turning the page on the calendar into a brand new year is a perfect time to start something new and make up your mind that this year will be different. You will "reach higher" towards God for help to achieve success in an area you want to see change in.

Many people refuse to make these resolutions as they say "I will just break them". Perhaps if God is in the mix of things it may be easier to achieve the goal. Do not give up, and refuse to back down. Just keep plugging away. Do not talk yourself out of a worthy goal. Take for instance, treating others with kindness and respect. This can be achieved if you allow God to control your thoughts and words. To do this you need to get into God's word to be transformed.

Whatever it is you need to do, pray and ask God to help you. In 2014 make Him a vital part of your life. Do more than church. With God's help you can in fact learn to "reach higher".

Philippians 4:13(NIV) 'I can do all this through him who gives me strength.'

PRAYER: This year Lord I want to do things differently. I do not want to just keep saying it but want to be different and act different. I know with you I have strength to do this.Guide my steps and thoughts to bring glory to you. In Jesus name. Amen.

LAST CHANCE

I received many emails towards the end of 2013 reminding me it was the "last chance " to donate for the year for tax purposes. Over and over these emails and snail mail reminders came. But really truly we always have a chance to make a difference in God's kingdom. Do not do it just in tax season. Every season is an opportunity to give in God's kingdom.

We give because we want to give or at least that is the way it should be. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7(NIV) we are told of the cheerful giver. It says in those verses 'Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.'

Hopefully you do "sow" financially into God's kingdom and not just for the tax benefit. Your heavenly benefits are much greater than anything our tax system will do for us. But remember to do it cheerfully and not be thinking "I hate having to give this". If you have trouble giving what is really God's blessing to you anyway, check your heart and see if He, in fact, really does have first place.

PRAYER: I thank you for all your blessings give us in abundance each and every day. It is easy to let money consume us and then to forget to give you any of what we have earned. Thank you that I know it all belongs to you anyway. Give me a generous heart. In Jesus' name. Amen.

HIP HIP HOORAY!

 I do not know about you, but I love the New Year. It is a chance to start all over. New Year's helps us turn the clock on bad things and make up our mind that now is the time to let things go and start new good habits. Similar to how I feel in spring when plants and flowers are budding is the same way I feel in early January. It is a time on the calendar when fresh things can "bloom" in our lives.

I say "hip, hip, hooray" to 2014! Forget what things bothered you and "purpose" in your heart to do something new. Phillipians 3:13(NIV) says 'Brothers and sisters I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it, but one thing I do, Forgetting what is behind and straining forward to what is ahead.'

Are you able to forgive someone who has hurt you? Are you able to stop holding grudges? Can you let bitterness go? What a fantastic opportunity we have been given simply by a new year rolling around to get off to a right start. Change attitudes if necessary and commit to putting God first in 2014!

PRAYER: You have given me another day and another year to do things differently. Help me not look to the past but to look ahead. Guide me Lord to where you would have me be. In Jesus' name. Amen.

TRY LOVE

 As I was driving one day I saw a unique vanity tag that simply said "Try Love". That is good advice for all of us. Looking for a good New Years resolution? Maybe "trying love" would be a great one.

Perhaps you need to love a friend better, a family member, a stranger, a boss or a co worker. Love is putting others first and ignoring their faults. It is unconditional. It is patient. It does not think of itself. It is able to forgive regardless. This entire description of God's kind of love is found in 1 Corinthians 13. Read it and meditate on what it says.

A prayer I pray for myself often and even my children is that they would love with the love of Jesus'. 1 John 4:20(NIV) says 'Whoever claims to loves God yet hates a brother or a sister is a liar. For whoever does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen can not love God whom he has not seen.'

Do you need to "try love" in 2014 and beyond?

PRAYER: Lord I do love you and I strive with your help to show your love to others around me whether or not I know the or not. That is what you want your followers to do. Help me not stray from this path. In Jesus' name. Amen.

CAUTION: WARFARE IN PROGRESS

 You do not have to be sent to the Middle East to be in a war. Our war here is not one of gunfire, bombs, and people being killed but it is a battle for our very souls. It is called "spiritual warfare".

Each and every day you wake up, the enemy, Satan, is there with his puny tricks trying to throw you off the course God had for you. His devices are subtle at times. If they weren't how else would people fall into his trap? 2 Corinthians 11:14(NIV) refers to him as an "angel of light masquerading". In other words he wears a "mask" to fool humans into falling for his schemes.

We do not have to be deceived. Get up each day and pray and read God's word and put on your spiritual armor which is discussed in Ephesians 6:10-18. Take a moment and read it. This describes this "war" going on and how we are to stand up and fight.

PRAYER:There is a battle of right and wrong and good and evil going on and has been since Adam and Eve. I choose to stand up and rebuke Satan and fight him every day with the word of God. According to Isaiah 55:17 "no weapon formed against me shall prosper" and I stand on that promise. In Jesus' name. Amen

TURN IT AROUND

Start anew this year and make up your mind you are not going to let things fluster you or make you angry. I was waiting for a store to open one day and the girl who opened up was 15 minutes late. Another lady was waiting as well and said to me "I am going to tell her when she gets here how I feel and let her know I am angry." Hmm, I am thinking, what an excellent time to show Jesus' love and mercy to the late employee and set an example to the disgruntled patron. What good does it do to fume when this young woman had a legitimate reason for being behind schedule?

When you are around people who get this way use it as an opportunity to just let things go and move on and thus display kindness. Human nature says get back and get even. God's nature says to show love.

Are you able to turn an ugly situation around in your life? Think of things you may encounter on a daily basis at work or out and about in the marketplace. Even in your own home! Go the extra mile and be nice. Smile. Forgive. Love.

When my children were small, I would play this song over and over each morning while we were at the breakfast table. It was a sung by Richard Roberts and was called "Turn It Around". Basically the lyrics were " turn it around, turn it around,don't let the devil get you down." If you have a chance to turn a situation around, do it!

Romans 2:4(NIV) basically says 'Kindness leads to repentance' and that is true in most all scenarios. Why not try being kind today?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus use me in your kingdom to spread your love to others who are having a bad day or are angry. Help me learn to turn the other cheek so to speak and display your love to others. In Jesus' name. Amen.

STARTING OVER

Happy New Year! A chance to start new things and make resolutions. A time of new beginnings often brings hope for things you wanted to accomplish but did not. At the end of the old year and ringing in the New Year it is nice to have that chance to say "this is what I plan to do" and why not add "with God's help". 

Have you added any spiritual things to your resolution list? Often a big one might be read through the entire Bible. If that is your goal make sure you pray and ask God to reveal himself to you as you read and do not do it to simply check a block. As you go along make it into a study. Perhaps ask God to fill you with a desire and hunger for the things of the Lord. 

Another spiritual goal could be something like go on a mission trip if you have never done that. It does not have to be overseas but can be right in your own back yard so to speak.  

Do you find yourself complaining or judging others wrongly or being unkind to people? Then a super resolution is to ask God to give you His love for all people. 

The most popular resolution is usually dieting. If this is yours and has been over and over and over again why not put God in the equation and ask Him to make you see your body as His Holy temple and to treat it properly. Pray for discipline and self control and the ability to make this area a true priority this time. 

A good verse to memorize this year is Philippians 4:13( NIV) 'I can do all this through him who gives me strength.'

PRAYER: I thank you Lord that through you I have the power to do all things. I do not have to let the enemy drag me down and cause me to give up. Guide me as I seek to be faithful to the resolutions I have made. In Jesus' name. Amen.